Deals

Future proposes to acquire Purch’s consumer division in a deal worth £105.7m ($132.5m)

Venues & Events Live, the UK’s leading events industry trade show and networking opportunity for corporate event organisers, has been sold by Monomax Limited to Ocean Media Group Limited, the London based events and digital information business. The terms of the deal are not being disclosed

The cold war between 21st Century Fox and Comcast over ownership of Sky has finally turned hot, as yesterday evening the US cable operator swooped in with a £26bn bid, hours after the Murdoch camp improved its own offer

Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox has kicked off a potential bidding war with US entertainment giant Comcast after making a new offer for the 61pc of Sky it does not already own that values the UK-based broadcaster at £24.5bn

Sir Martin Sorrell has bought Dutch firm MediaMonks for €300m (£266m) in a deal that marks his return to the forefront of the advertising industry and an escalation of hostilities with his former employer, WPP.

Atlantic Media has sold Quartz to Japanese online media group Uzabase in a deal that values the US-based business news site at up to $110m. The sale of one of the best known online business brands follows a fallow period for digital publishers, whose valuations have slid in recent years

UDG Healthcare plc has announced the acquisition of Create NYC, a New York-based disruptive creative communications agency and SmartAnalyst, a New York-based strategic commercialisation consulting and analytics business, for a combined consideration of up to $82.4 million. Both companies are dedicated to the healthcare market

Chris Ferrell, Patrick Rains and company are returning to SouthComm, Inc.—or, perhaps more accurately, SouthComm is returning to them. Endeavor Business Media—the firm launched by Ferrell just weeks after his departure from SouthComm last November as part of a “change in strategic direction” at the company—announced Monday that it has acquired SouthComm’s remaining assets, including 17 trade magazines and a handful of affiliated websites and trade shows.

Reports that Interpublic Group may be looking to acquire US data company Acxiom’s marketing solutions business for a reported $2.2bn (£1.67bn) indicates a possible doubling down on data among the agency groups, analysts at Liberum said

Investment Week’s parent Incisive Media has today announced the acquisition of Open Door Media Publishing Limited (ODMP), publisher of Investment Europe and producer of market-leading conferences for fund selectors across Europe. The group said this “highly complementary acquisition” will benefit asset management businesses looking for distribution both in the UK and across the Continent.

Media giant AT&T has agreed to buy advertising software company AppNexus in a tie-up worth around $1.6bn (£1.2bn)

According to flashes&flames private equity owner Lyceum Capital is rumoured to have hired advisers Raymond James to find a buyer for AgriBriefing, the increasingly international B2B specialist which was formed in the UK with the 2012 acquisition of Farmers Guardian from UBM. AgriBriefing (formerly known as Briefing Media) was founded by Neil Thackray, Rory Brown and Rupert Levy, initially to publish in the media, farming and medical sectors

Walt Disney hit back in the bidding war for 21st Century Fox’s prized entertainment and distribution businesses yesterday with a $71.3 billion offer that trumped Comcast’s rival bid.

Ascential plc, the global specialist information company, today announces the acquisition of the entire share capital of WARC Limited for an initial cash consideration of £19.5m (subject to a normalised working capital adjustment), plus deferred consideration of £4.5m payable in 2019. The acquisition is expected to complete on 2 July 2018.

National Enquirer publisher American Media Inc. announced Friday that it has acquired Bauer Media USA’s “celebrity group,” which it says consists of 13 titles—including In Touch, Life & Style, Closer, J-14, and the recently launched Teen Boss. The deal is expected to close on July 1.

Global B2B event organizer, UBM, has expanded its healthcare event portfolio with the acquisition of ExpoMed from LIVEMED in Mexico and Live Healthcare in Brazil from founders Dr. Vitor Assentuno and Dr. Raphael Gordilho

SHANGHAI, June 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Today UBM Sinoexpo, a subsidiary of UBM plc, announced the acquisition of 70% economic interest in the Shanghai International Franchise Exhibition (“SFE”) organised by Shanghai Exhibition-Conference Ltd (SEC)

One day after AT&T got court approval for its big Time Warner acquisition, Comcast formally made a $65 billion bid for 21st Century Fox’s businesses, which had intended to sell various businesses to Walt Disney

Bauer Media has acquired Inside Out, Country Style and HomeLife.com.au from News Corp Australia to add to its portfolio of homes brands, Real Living, Australian House and Garden, Belle and digital platform, Homes to Love.

CLOSERSTILL MEDIA, the London-based exhibition and conference organiser, has announced it has acquired a majority stake in ‘Learning 2018’ in a deal with Masie Productions, for an undisclosed sum